This version of the course guide is provisional until the period for editing the new course guides ends.

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Bachelor's Degree Final Project

Code: 101239 ECTS Credits: 12
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Tourism OB 4

Contact

Name:
Anna Zinenko
Email:
anna.zinenko@uab.cat

Teachers

Anna Zinenko
Inmaculada Diaz Soria
(External) Anna Zinenko (Anna.Zinenko@uab.cat)
(External) Inmaculada Diaz Soria (Inmaculada.Diaz@uab.cat)

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

To take this course, all basic and mandatory subjects of the first year must have been passed and it is also ESSENTIAL to have passed at least two third of the ECTS credits of the degree (that is, 160 ECTS credits).


Objectives and Contextualisation

The Bachelor’s Degree Final Project (DFP) is the culmination of a four-year learning process which reflects the competences acquired, as well as their application and development. It aims at evaluating the achievement and integrated consolidation of the specific and transversal competences associated with the formative program of the Bachelor Degree in Tourism.

The DFP consists of a research and/or practical project related to the creation or improvement of an existing project, product or touristic company or the development of the research tasks related to some aspect of the tourism industry, supervised by a director or a tutor.

The DFP will be done in pairs (2 students). However, the evaluation is going to be done individually. 

The goal is to apply in an integrated manner the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the undergraduate studies, through an original and unpublished work.


Competences

  • Adapt to ongoing technological changes.
  • Behave ethically and adapt to different intercultural contexts.
  • Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  • Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  • Display a customer service orientation.
  • Have a business vision, pinpoint the customer's needs and pre-empt possible changes in the environment.
  • Integrate knowledge and skills to write an academic or professional paper in the field of tourism.
  • Plan and manage activities on the basis of quality and sustainability.
  • Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, taking into account potential consequences of these decisions in the short, medium and long term.
  • Use communication techniques at all levels.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Adapt to ongoing technological changes.
  2. Behave ethically and adapt to different intercultural contexts.
  3. Behave responsibly towards the environment.
  4. Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  5. Display a customer service orientation.
  6. Have a business vision, pinpoint the customer's needs and pre-empt possible changes in the environment.
  7. Integrate knowledge and skills to write an academic or professional paper in the field of tourism.
  8. Plan and manage activities on the basis of quality and sustainability.
  9. Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, taking into account potential consequences of these decisions in the short, medium and long term.
  10. Use communication techniques at all levels.

Content

The DFP consists of research project and/or business plan related to the creation or improvement of an existing project, product or touristic company or the development of the research tasks related to some aspect of the tourism industry.

It recommends that all DFPs have an embedded element of sustainability and its three pillars (economic, social, and environmental) when doing research projects or developing business plans. Particular focus should be dedicated to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Agenda 2030. Students are encouraged to research or develop solutions to contribute to the specific targets and indicators of the 17 UN integrated, indivisible goals. 

Additional attention should be dedicated to gender equality depending on DFP type:

  • Research: as a stand-alone research topic (e.g., Gender differences: barriers and opportunities in the tourism sector) or reflection on different aspects of gender perspective should be evident within selected topic.
  • Business plan: gender perspective should be apparent in ideation and creation of touristic products or services, general strategy, corporate culture, and organizational plan, among others.

 

 A) Research Project

Topic 1: Introduction. Preparation of the research proposal.

  • The objective of this part is enable the student through the immersion in the scientific method, to plan and design a research proposal as a basis for the elaboration of the DFP. This objective will involve the identification of the area and economic research questions, a first review of existing methods and approaches and the preparation of a work plan. At the end of this part, the student has to submit a provisional research proposal.

Topic 2: Analysis of the Proposal

  • In the second part, the objective is that the studentput into practice techniques for the search of academic and empirical information through the web, electronic and physical libraries and other physical reference points. For this reason, at the end of the module the student will present a list of academic references on the field of the research topic chosen by the student.

Topic 3: Research Proposal II

  • Once the goals of the previous topics have been overcome, the student will elaborate a much more concrete and extensive research proposal. This will consist of a review of the chosen topic, the redefinition of research questions, theory and methods as well as planning the next steps of the project.

Topic 4: Development of DFP

  • Finally, based on the proposal given in the previous topic, the student will begin to elaborate the DFP. Among the tasks that the student has to carry out are: 1) to finish gathering the data for the analysis, 2) to process and analyze the data, 3) to draw and compare the conclusions, 4) to apply the knowledge acquired tothe defined problem, 5) to write the DFP and 6) to submit it.

Topic 5: Conclusions, proposals and future alternatives

  • This section should incorporate personal conclusions and not a compilation of the opinions of other authors.

B) Practical Project or Business Plan

Topic 1: Introduction. Preparation of the proposal.

  • The student has to summarize his/her business idea and its model. Mainly, the student has to answer what he/she will do (what need he/she is going to satisfy in the market)? For whom (market segment)? how (the solution)? In general, in order to achieve this objective, several techniques for the idea generation (creativity techniques) will be shared to help the student to come up with his/her business idea for the development of the business plan.

Topic 2: Analysis of the Environment

  • Answering the question where the new company or entrepreneurial project will operate, while using various analysis tools that have been learned during the Degree in Tourism.

Topic 3: Market Analysis and Marketing Plan

  • In this part, the student has to describe and quantify the segment of the market for whom the product is being developed, as well as describe its positioning strategy. Under this topic the student will develop a marketing plan consistent with the needs of the segment and the analysis of the environment performed in the previous step of the business plan.

 Topic 4: Plan of the Operations

  • Plan of the operations includes all those decisions related to the production and distribution of the proposed product or service.

 Topic 5: Human Recourses and Organizational Architecture

  • In this phase, all aspects related to the organization (organizational architecture, structure, and culture)and human resources necessary to carry out the proposed business idea (number of people who will work in the new company, their position and functions, remuneration and profile) will be developed.

 Topic 6: Economic Viability  

  • All the decisions taken previously will be reflected in an economic and financial plan that quantitatively justifies the proposed business idea.
  • Financial plan will consist of initial Financial Statements (Balance Sheet and Income Statement), which include all the actions that have been taken to start the activity, the Treasury Budget (monthly), amortizations, etc. and the financial statements at the end of the first economic year.

Topic 7: Conclusions, proposals and future alternatives

  • This section should incorporate personal conclusions and not a compilation of the opinions of other authors.

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Theoretical classes 24 0.96 1, 7, 10, 8, 5
Type: Supervised      
Tutorials 45 1.8 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 8, 9, 5, 6
Type: Autonomous      
Personal Study 211 8.44 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 8, 9, 5, 6

Languages

Grau de Turisme: Spanish/Catalan

Degree in Tourism: English

  • Lectures by the professors
  • Follow up of the realized work, presentation, and discussion
  • Tutorials
  • Development of the business plan or research project

The subject of the DFP will be established and confirmed by the Coordinator among the topics proposed by the student.

Each student will be assigned a tutor for the DFP.

The following are the tutor’s functions:

  • Help to define the characteristics of the DFP and the work plan for the DFP.
  • Provide the orientation for the development of the DFP.
  • Ensure compliance with the learning objectives and set the minimum standards to be reached by the completion of the DFP.  
  • Follow-up of the DFP by establishing periodic meetings with the student.
  • Follow-up on the regulations of the DFP and the program.
  • Carry out the evaluation report and if there is a case authorize for the defense of the DFP.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Attendance to the sessions 5% 15 0.6 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 8, 9, 5, 6
Presentations of the project 15% 4.5 0.18 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 8, 9, 5, 6
Submission of the written project to the tutor 80% 0.5 0.02 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 8, 9, 5, 6

The assessment of this subject is organized into two main modules:

1. Training Module (5%)

This component evaluates attendance and participation in:

  • Orientation sessions and scheduled classes
  • Talks and conferences

2. Execution Module (95%)

This module includes both the delivery and oral defense of the Degree Final Project (DFP). The breakdown is as follows:

  • 80% – Written Project Evaluation (by the Tutor)
    Based on the quality of the submitted DFP and the student’s engagement throughout the process.
    Evaluation criteria include:
    • Originality and relevance of the topic
    • Structure and coherence of the work
    • Methodology and systematization of information
    • Summaries and conclusions
    • Future proposals and alternatives
    • Quality of bibliography and referencing
  • 15% – Oral Defense Evaluation (by the Defense Board)
    Every student must defend their DFP in front of the Evaluation Board, regardless of the tutor’s evaluation or preliminary grade.
    • Presentation time:
      • 5 minutes (individual projects)/ 7 minutes (projects done in pairs)
    • Visual support is optional (e.g., slides or other media may be used but are not required)
    • After the presentation, the Board will ask questions to assess the student’s authorship and understanding of the work

Defense and Submission Guidelines

  • There will be one official call for the submission and defense of the DFP (exact date announced in the academic calendar).
  • The final version of the DFP must be submitted to both the tutor and coordinator in electronic formatvia Moodle by the stated deadline.
  • The DefenseBoard is appointed by the Center’s Studies Directorate and is solely responsible for assigning the final grade.
  • If a student fails to follow guidelines or if the tutor lacks sufficient evidence to verify authorship, the tutor may choose not to evaluate the project.

The evaluation of the DFP is individual, even when the project is carried out in pairs.

This subject does not allow for single (unique) evaluation.


Bibliography

It will be detailed for each DFP according to its topic and objective. However, it is recommended the use of these books for the preparation of the methodology of the project:

 
Durbarry, R. (2017). Research Methods for Tourism Students. Routledge.
 
Veal, A.J. (2018). Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism. Pearson.
 
Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business model generation. John Wiley & Sons.

Software

NA


Groups and Languages

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan annual morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 2 English second semester morning-mixed